Why Vegan? Amber Locke @rawveganblonde

Happy Monday guys! It’s another great day and there’s another fresh post for you.

We’ve been pretty active lately on our website, and there are many things going on – we are posting lots of vegan recipes and we’re also sharing interviews with very influential food bloggers about the benefits of being vegan.

Today’s guest is Amber Locke @rawveganblonde! She is amazing! I mean… wow.. take a look at her photography and her unique style! Her first book ‘Norish’ was published in the UK in March 2016 and in the US in September 2016. Her second book ‘Savour’ was published in the UK in January 2017 and in the US in February 2017, both books will publish in Italy, France, Poland and Spain in Spring 2017.

We asked her our usual questions and here’s what she had to say.

WHEN DID YOU BECOME VEGAN AND WHAT MADE YOU DO IT?

I first become interested in the ‘raw vegan’ life style about 4 years ago and decided to try it out as an experiment but after a few days it made me feel so amazing that I just carried on! I now eat about an 80% raw diet depending on the season; more raw foods in the Spring/Summer and more cooked foods in the Autumn/Winter and also adjust my diet to how I’m feeling or what physical activity I’m doing.

HOW DID THIS CHANGE YOU – PHYSICALLY AND MENTALLY?

We’re all encouraged to incorporate more fruit and vegetables into our diets and in their raw form they’re typically more nutrient-dense, alkalizing and easier to digest so they feed and nourish your body with pure, living, high-vitality foods which, from my experience, it absolutely loves!

As well the fantastic health benefits eating raw it also gives you incredible energy, improved mental clarity and a general feeling of calmness, harmony and well-being – so, for me, this really is ‘feel-good’ food.

WHAT IS YOUR ADVICE TO THE NEW VEGANS?

I think with any new style of diet/eating you need to listen to your own body and see how it responds, regardless of any trends or advice you receive. It’s ultimately what food makes YOU feel great, not anyone else. Also be prepared to give it time, not everyone experiences immediate effects (both good or bad) so be patient and be observant for any fluctuations in your mood, weight, skin, energy levels etc.

And if you do fancy giving the raw food lifestyle a try then it’s as simple as incorporating more raw fruits and veg into your diet be it in the form of juices, smoothies or salads etc. and you don’t have to be 100% fully-raw to feel the benefits – just starting with one raw meal a day is a great way to put yourself on the highway to super-health and happiness!

We always ask our guests to give us a recipe, just because we want you to get inside their heads as well. The first impressions of someone’s food speaks a lot about their personality.

Have a look at her style.

VEGETABLE NOODLES WITH A CREAMY CURRIED COCONUT SAUCE

Serves 3-4

This salad is a great if you’re craving a spicy creamy curry but don’t want the heaviness of a traditional take away version. The sauce is rich yet fresh-tasting and can even be gently warmed if you don’t fancy eating the whole dish cold.

The tender vegetable noodles provide bulk and texture without added stodginess and the sweet corn kernels give little busts of sweetness. The vegetable noodles can be warmed up too, either by plunging very briefly into boiling salted water and then draining thoroughly or steam-sautéed in a wok or large frying pan.

NB: Turmeric has powerful ant-oxidant and anti-inflammatory properties and combining it with a good grating of fresh black pepper increases it’s bio-availability to your body.

Make the curried coconut sauce by blending together the meat and milk of a fresh coconut (or alternatively the coconut water, coconut milk and desiccated coconut) with the shallots, green chilli, ginger, lemon grass, garlic, juice and zest of the lime, curry powder and turmeric using a high speed blender and season to taste. The sauce should be creamy and silky smooth.

Cut the courgettes, carrots and sweet potatoes into long noodles using a julienne peeler (or grate), cut the sugar snap peas into fine diagonal shreds and cut the sweet corn kernels from the cobs. Place all the vegetables into a large bowl and pour over the curried coconut sauce. Mix well and sprinkle over some chopped fresh herbs and a little shaved fresh coconut. Leave to marinate for 30 minutes for the noodles to soften slightly then serve with some fresh limes to squeeze over and sprinkle over some coconut shavings.

That was all from our amazing guest today! We are very happy that we made this happen.